Tribute: An evening to remember Tufail Niazi enthrals audience

“Lok Mausiqi Ki Sham” enthralled music lovers of Islamabad at Pakistan National Council of the Arts.

ISLAMABAD:

“Lok Mausiqi Ki Sham”, or an evening of folk music, enthralled music lovers of Islamabad at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Wednesday.

The evening was organised to pay tribute to the late folk singer Tufail Niazi. Javed Niazi, Qurban Niazi, Baber Niazi, Shehanshah Niazi, Saira Arshad, Muhammad Ali, Afshan Zaibi, Nadeem Lohar and Badar Sadaqat sang songs from the past to a receptive audience.

Babar, Javaid and Shehnshah Niazi, sons of late Tufail Niazi, gave outstanding performances, bringing forth the memories of the good old days of their father’s excellence in the art of folk singing.

They showed their prowess and proved that they had done well under the tutelage of their father, who himself was a pupil of Kapporthalla Gharana.

Javaid Niazi and Babar Niazi began their career as musicians in 1981, when they performed alongside their father in India. There they received the KL Sehgal Award. They have also won various awards in Pakistan and abroad.

Talking to APP, Director General PNCA, Tauqeer Nasir said that programmes such as these play an important role in promoting the cultural heritage among the younger generation.

He said that PNCA is focusing on preservation and dissemination of country’s centuries-old traditions and rich musical heritage by lauding the services of those artists who dedicated themselves to art and brought “great laurels” to their country. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2011.